State of Palestine WASH Cluster – 14 November 2023
Lack of fuel at crisis point:
Water and sanitation services on verge of shut down
What are the implications for the humanitarian water and sanitation services if fuel is not allowed to enter Gaza? To answer this question, it is necessary to understand humanitarian water supply and survival needs of water, the specific context of the Gaza Strip water supply and the recent water and sanitation supply levels during the conflict. Since the start of the conflict water production and sewage management have been highly reliant on the stocks of fuel to continue operating. The WASH cluster in Palestine1 has recorded significant fluctuations in the availability of water over the period of the conflict. The end of fuel supply in Gaza will mean that there is no capacity to treat saline water, no ability to distribute water, no ability to pump or treat wastewater. The conclusion is that with the correct political-will, the deteriorating humanitarian catastrophe can be averted.
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